Filling the Void
by 18Rox
Summary: AU After quitting her band, Lightning joins the police force. Years later, she is given an undercover job that forces her to pick up her guitar again. However, there is one more catch to the job: she has to disguise herself as a man.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey! So, I got this idea from a kind of stupid Japanese drama I watched called "Mendol: Ikemen Idol." It's basically about a group of girls that wanted to be idols but they failed every audition then had to hide because they saw something illegal. To fulfill their dream of becoming idols and keep themselves alive, they became male idols. It wasn't that great but some things were funny. They got into so many awkward situations. For those who have seen it, Light is based off of Kai/Nami.**

**It is set in Tokyo and Hope is older, like how he was in XIII-2.  
**

**My first Light/Vanille story so don't be too harsh haha.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy  
**

**Filling the Void  
**

There was a knock on the door of the Tokyo Police chief's office.

"Come in!" His voice boomed as he leaned back in his chair.

Sergeant Lightning Farron stepped into the room, her face with its usual scowl. She stood in front of the desk at full attention. "You asked for me, sir?"

Police Chief Amador smirked. "Farron, I have a job for you."

Lightning raised her eyebrow slightly, somewhat suspicious of his smirk.

"You play guitar right?"

Her eyes narrowed. She didn't want to answer that question. Why did it matter anyway?

Her commanding officer waved his hand. "I know you do." He leaned in, smiling. "I saw a few videos of you in a band on YouTube."

Lightning's eyes darted elsewhere. Damn. She knew she should've deleted those videos! But never would she have thought her Police Chief would dig up videos of her band from when she was a teenager.

She looked back at the police chief. "What is the job, Chief?" She asked, her patience getting thin.

"Relax, Farron. I'm getting to that." Amador stated before picking up a sheet of paper from his desk and showing it to Lightning. The paper was file on a man named Takeshi. "You job is to investigate this man: Takeshi Kurosawa."

Lightning wondered why Amador was acting so strangely if the job was a simple investigation. What did her guitar experience have to do with this? There had to be more to this.

"However…"

Here comes the catch.

"You have to go undercover as a guitarist in a band."

She was not expecting that.

Lightning tilted her head in confusion. "Huh?"

Amador chuckled at her reaction. "You see, Takeshi is the owner of the most popular record label in Japan, 123 Records. Because of his position, only his bodyguards and important artists in the entertainment industry can see him. Since you can't go undercover as a bodyguard, the only other option is an artist."

She nodded her head slowly. "So, I have to go undercover as a member in a band in order to see what he is up to?" Lightning questioned to get a better understanding of the strange situation.

"The more popular the band gets the better chance you have in getting close to Takeshi and seeing what his plans are. We think he is up to something big so that is why we must keep this very undercover."

Lightning sighed. "Do I dare ask who else is in the band?"

Amador leaned back in his chair, a smirk forming on his face. "Corporal Villiers and Officer Estheim."

"Snow and Hope!?" She practically shouted.

She had to work with her sister's fiancée and the kid that worships her every step. How could this job get any worse? Well, Hope wasn't that much of a problem. Very deep down inside, she could tolerate him. He was like a little brother. Snow, on the other hand, was a pain in the ass. He wouldn't be so bad if she didn't have to see him every single day at work. Once he found out his girlfriend's sister worked for the police, he immediately joined saying that it would "help them bond." Bullshit.

He chuckled. "It won't be that bad, Farron! Besides, they were the only ones on the force that could play an instrument well. Snow will be the drummer, Hope will be the bassist, and you will be the guitarist."

Lightning sighed again. "Is that all I need to know, sir?"

Amador's smile grew. "Actually, there is one more thing."

The pinklette raised her eyebrow.

"You have to disguise yourself as a man."

XXX

"All finished!"

The stylist's chair spun around causing Lightning to face her transformed self in the mirror.

A layered black wig covered her pink locks. The spiky bangs fell just above her eyes while the rest climbed down the sides in layers. Her light eyebrows were replaced with fake dark ones.

"_This is necessary because people may recognize you. As much as you might not realize it, you have done a lot when it comes to protecting Tokyo. Not only criminals but normal people will recognize who you are. By doing this, no one will suspect a thing." _Amador's words echoing in her head._  
_

Her eyes narrowed. This was by far the most ridiculous thing she has ever done.

Suddenly, a pile of clothes landed in her lap. She gazed up to see the stylist smiling at her. "Change into those."

Lightning glanced over the pile. Her eyes then spotted a piece of white tape hanging from the clothes. She pulled out the tape and stared at the bandage-like thing.

"Ah…what is this for?"

The stylist chuckled. "To bind your chest, of course!"

Lightning stared at her before looking at the tape. "Great…"

XXX

"Are you done yet!?" The stylist shouted from the other side of the private changing room.

The door swung open and Lightning stepped out, irritation written all over her face. "Would you shut up?" The tape was practically suffocating her. And she had to wear it all the time! This job was just getting worse and worse.

Not yet seeing her finished look, Lightning stepped toward a nearby mirror. Her police uniform had been replaced with a one that fit her image as a male rock artist. She wore a gray graphic t-shirt over her now flatten chest along with a rolled up sleeved leather jacket. On her legs was a pair of dark, destroyed skinny jeans that were stuffed into black combat boots. And black cutoff gloves covered her hands.

She had to admit, she did look somewhat like a guy.

"Light!"

She growled. She knew that voice and it was one that she was not in the mood for. She turned around only to see Snow walking around the undercover office with Hope following him.

"Where's Lightning? Amador said she was here." She heard him say to Hope.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Over here, idiot!"

Snow and Hope stopped before looking her direction. They stared for a second then glanced at each other and began laughing.

Anger boiled inside of her. "What's so funny!?"

Snow's laughter reduced to chuckles. "Nothing! Nothing!"

"It's just funny to see you like this, Light." Hope said, smiling.

Lightning scoffed before crossing her arms. "Whatever. Once you guys are done here, we have to have a meeting with Amador before we go undercover."

Snow put a smile on his face. "You're always so serious when it comes to work. This job isn't all about sticking to the rules. We have to get the people to like us before we can get anywhere near Takeshi. So, you need to loosen up a little!" He exclaimed, cheerfully.

Lightning just rolled her eyes before walking away. "Meet me in Amador's office in ten."

Hope watched her dejectedly as she left. "Guess that didn't help any."

Snow ruffled the younger man's hair. "Don't worry about it! I'm sure she'll come around! Serah told me that even though Light won't admit it, playing guitar is her favorite thing to do. Once she's back on that stage, I'm sure she'll change."

XXX

"Alright guys! We have a few things to go over before I send you off!" Amador's voice boomed as he stood in front of Lightning, Snow and Hope.

"First of all, you are not to attack Takeshi until you are sure you can apprehend him. You must wait until the perfect moment. You may only get one shot at this so you cannot make any mistakes!" He glanced between the three of them. "Secondly, you must always stick to your disguise."

He pointed at Lightning. "Your name is now Kenji."

Then to Snow. "Ren."

Lastly, to Hope. "And Sora."

"I'll let you three decide on your band name though." He grinned before continuing. "Next, as you find your way into the entertainment world, you need to find what you can about Takeshi's plans. You guys are responsible for finding ways that will get you closer to Takeshi. To avoid the risk of your cover being exposed, only contact HQ when you make a very important discovery." He crossed his arms. "Well, I think that's everything. We supplied you with an apartment in Shibuya where you will be living. Everything you need will be there. I hope you will all return successful."

They nodded to him. "Yes, sir."

Once they left the room, Lightning turned to the two of them. "I need to head home to get my things. You two should do the same. When you're done, we will meet at the apartment. Ok?"

The men nodded. "Got it."

XXX

Lightning stopped in front of the door of her home before pulling out the key. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. She just needed to grab a few things before she went undercover.

After she slipped off her boots, she headed upstairs to her bedroom. Grabbing a bag from underneath her bed, she began packing some of her essentials such as toiletries and her gun. Of course, she couldn't bring any of her clothes due to her cover.

She opened her closet door before pulling out a guitar case that sitting in the corner. She stared at it for a second then walked back to her bed, placing the case on it. As she unzipped the case, her electric guitar came into view. Her eyes were locked to her Gibson Les Paul guitar taking in every detail. Its fireburst finish. Its gold hardware. She picked up the guitar that she hasn't touched in several years, placing the strap over her shoulder. Her fingers grasped the neck, sliding across the frets. Her strumming hand plucked each string, a rich sound escaping the instrument every time.

A smirk formed on her face.

Her fingers danced across the fretboard as she plucked the strings quickly, creating an impressive melody. Her hand moved up and down the fretboard as she played scales with amazing speed.

Memories of her on stage with her band came back to her. She remembered the audience cheering for her when she played the solo. When she played, she was completely content. A smile never left her face.

Then her playing stopped.

Her hands dropped to her sides, the guitar hanging from her body.

She stared at the ground before shaking her head. This is just an investigation. This was not a second chance at her dream. That was long gone.

She took off the guitar and placed it back in the case before zipping it shut. She grabbed the case, along with her bag, and walked out her room.

She glanced back at her room as she walked then...

_Wam! _

Lightning collided with her sister.

As soon as she got her balance back, Lightning looked at her sister. "Sorry, Ser-"

"AHHH!" Serah screamed before running down the stairs in fear.

Lightning raised her eyebrow. "What the hell?"

Then a realization came to her. She was in her disguise!

"Oh shit! Serah!" She yelled, following her sister's path.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she found Serah standing in front of the door with a large knife in her hands.

"Who are you!?" Serah shouted.

Lightning lifted up her hands. "Serah, let me explain."

"How do you know my name!? And what are you doing with my sister's stuff!?"

The older pinklette took off her wig, revealing her long pick locks. "It's me, Lightning."

Serah stared at her, dumbfounded. She lowered the knife. "Ah…why are you dressed like a guy?"

Lightning sighed. "I'm going undercover and I...have to be a guy."

Serah just nodded her head, not quite understanding the situation. "O…K…I won't ask any questions about that..."

Lightning placed the wig back on her head before grabbing her keys off the counter. "I'm probably not going to see you for awhile since we have to stay in Shibuya for the next few months."

"Months!?" Serah exclaimed. "What kind of job is this!?"

"The less people that know the better. I'll can call you but I can't come here." Lightning explained, leaving out certain details of her assignment.

Serah noticed the guitar case hanging from Lightning's fingertips. Was she going to start playing again? Did this job have something to do with it? These were questions she knew her sister wouldn't answer. She refused to talk about anything related to her guitar. She chose to leave the guitar and job subject alone. It was probably for the best.

Serah stepped toward her sister and gave a hug. "Bye."

Lightning smiled slightly before ending the quick hug. "Bye, Serah."

With that, Lightning walked out the door and headed toward her sport bike that was parked in the driveway. She strapped down her bag and put her guitar across her back before hopping on the bike. She revved up the engine then zoomed off down the street.

These next few months were going to be interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N 1/6/13: So, I rewrote a few parts of this chapter, mainly when they perform the song. It was kind of difficult to describe a song I made up so I based the song on Revolve by UVERworld. So if you want to get a better idea of what they sound like, listen to that song. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! :)  
**

**XXX  
**

"Woah! This place is awesome!" Snow exclaimed as he, Hope and Lightning stepped into the door of the apartment.

The property was on the 1st level and was pretty large in size. The living room was in the front by the door with a large window to the left. It was decked out with an L shaped couch that faced a large flat screen TV. Next to the living room was the kitchen, a bar-like island separating the two.

Lightning walked deeper into the apartment and find a set of spiral stairs near the kitchen. Climbing the stairs, she was lead to a hallway where there were three doors. Three bedrooms, she assumed. Next thing she heard were loud footsteps echoing through the apartment and saw Snow and Hope fly pass her.

"I call this room!" Snow shouted, entering the first door while Hope chose the second one.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Childish…"

Since her "band mates" already took the first two rooms, the last room was hers. She walked down the hallway until she reached the last door. She placed her hand on the handle before twisting it and stepping inside.

Inside the room, lied a king sized platform bed with small end tables on both sides. There was a dresser on one wall and a glass desk on the other. Two doors were on the last wall, one leading to the closet while the other lead to the small bathroom.

"Lightning! Check this out!" She heard Snow's voice echoed.

Lightning set her bags on the floor, letting out a sigh. "What do they want this time?"

She followed the sound of the voice which came from downstairs. She walked down the hallway between the kitchen and the living room and spotted an opened door. She stepped through the doorway which she found lead to a practice studio.

It had everything a band would need to practice efficiently: Amps, microphones, speakers, you name it. It was a musician's dream come true.

Snow was already sitting on the drums, spinning the sticks through his fingers with a smile. "Pretty awesome, right?"

Lightning crossed her arms before nodded slightly. "It'll work."

Hope, who was standing near the wall, stepped toward them. "I guess we should figure out this band name."

"Oh yeah!" Snow stepped away from the drums to be included in the group.

"Well, do you have any ideas?" Lightning questioned, not expecting much from them. She didn't have many of her own ideas either.

Snow started thinking. What could be a good name? "'Red Snow!'"

Lightning and Hope stared at him.

"Really? You really thought that was a good name…" Lightning criticized his stupidity

Snow waved his hand. "Alright, Alright. I was just throwing that out there."

Hope rubbed his chin, possible band names popping in his head. "How about 'The L'Cie?'"

"Where did you get that from?" Snow questioned, wondering how he came up with the strange name. He had never even heard that word before.

"Well, I remembered reading a story about these people called L'Cies. They were chosen by a powerful being called a Fal'cie to complete a focus or mission. I felt like it kind of matched what we were doing. We were chosen by the Chief to do this important job." Hope smiled. "Plus, it sounds kind of cool."

Snow nodded. "Yeah, I like it." He turned to Lightning. "What do you think?"

Lightning had to admit, she liked the name too. It just had a certain thing about it. It was different and it had some meaning to it. She also nodded. "I like it. Good job, Hope."

Hope smiled at his mentor.

"With that out of the way, we should-"

_Ding Dong!_

The doorbell interrupted Snow's sentence.

Lightning raised her eyebrow. "Who could that be?"

The three headed to the door. When Hope opened the door, he found a man with an afro standing in front of him. He looked much older than any of them. He wore a green jacket along with a pair of jeans.

The man smiled. "Hey, you're Hope, right?"

Hope nodded nervously. Why did he know his name?

Sazh flashed a badge. "I've got some things I need to talk to the three of you about. Can I come in?"

The younger man stepped aside, letting the man in before shutting the door. The man seemed to know them so it was safe to let me inside.

Lightning stepped forward, her eyebrow raised. "And who are you?" She questioned, deepening her voice to fit her appearance.

The man laughed. "No need to change your voice, Lightning." Seeing Lightning's confusion, he decided to explain. "My name is Sazh Katzroy and I'm an investigator that's gonna' help you arrest Takeshi."

"And how are you going to do that?" Lightning asked, skeptical about him.

"Since I used to be a band manager a while ago, I can help you guys get gigs to help you get closer him. Take the pressure off a bit, you know?" He explained.

Hope nodded. "So, you're going to be our manager?"

"You got it, kid." He responded before handing his business card to Lightning. "Whenever you guys are ready to play, let me know."

Lightning looked over the card before nodding to him. "Got it."

"Alright. See ya!" Sazh let himself out.

XXX

"Snow, you're playing too fast! Hope, you're playing the wrong notes!" Lightning shouted, frustrated at her bandmates.

They had been practicing playing in sync for three hours and still couldn't get it right. Someone messed it up every time. Snow couldn't get the beat right. Hope was playing the wrong notes. How long was it going to take until they got it right? So far, their success in the mission was looking grim. If they couldn't even play in sync, how were they going to perform well at gigs?

"Don't act like it's just us, Lightning! You're messing up too!" Snow yelled back, the failures irritating him as well.

Lightning growled. "Not as bad as you two are! You are constantly fucking it up!"

Hope's eyes shot between the two as they argued like children. "Ah, can we just calm down guys?"

They both glared at him. "Shut up!"

"If you're so great Lightning, why didn't your band make it!? Why aren't you as famous as you think you should be!?" Snow snapped.

Lightning's eyes widened then she clenched her fists. She threw a punch at Snow's jaw causing him to crash to the floor.

Holding his jaw, Snow glanced up at Lightning only to see hurt flash across her eyes. He instantly realized he made a mistake.

She took off her guitar and sat it on the floor before she stomped out of the room.

"Wait, Lightning!" Snow shouted, getting up to follow her.

Hope held out his arm and stopped him. "Maybe we should just leave her alone for a while? We all need a break."

Snow sighed. The kid was right. They all needed some space for a minute. But, why did it cause such an emotion on her? What happened to make her react like that? What was she keeping from them? Perhaps, they will never know.

Slamming her bedroom door shut, Lightning slid to the floor, shaking with anger. Snow had hit a nerve. Her old band was a subject that she did not like to talk about.

Ever since her parents bought her a guitar, her dream was to become famous. She wanted to be a musician. She wanted to live in a huge house, have nice cars, and money. But, more than anything, she wanted be on stage with millions of people enjoying her music. That was her dream. She was very close to it with her band but, it was taken away.

She slammed her fist against the floor. It was so frustrating to know that her dream was within her reach and she had to give it up.

Lightning took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. That was in the past. She had to think in the present. She needed to change her attitude about Snow and Hope. If they wanted to succeed, they needed to get along. She must remember that this is a job, not another chance at her dream. Her main objective was to arrest Takeshi. That's it.

She climbed back to her feet and opened the door then headed back to the practice studio.

Snow and Hope were just sitting in the chairs in silence when she walked in.

Snow glanced up at her before he jumped up and headed toward her. "Look, Lightning. I'm sorry. Serah told me that I shouldn't talk about your band. We were all frustrated and it just came out."

Lightning sighed, trying to keep herself calm. "It's fine, Snow. It was a long time ago and I need to get over it." She picked up her guitar before securing it over her shoulder. "Now, let's try again. Maybe all we needed was a little break."

Snow smiled slightly and headed over to the drums. "Right, let's do it."

Hope picked up his bass, sending Lightning a smile as well.

Snow's drumsticks wacked together. "1-2-3-4!"

They began playing and they were like totally different people. Snow wasn't playing too fast or slow. He was right on beat. Hope was playing the right notes. And Lightning's guitar playing brought it all together. They sounded like an actual band.

They continued to jam together for hours. It was just perfect.

Eventually, their playing came to an end.

"That sounded great!" Snow exclaimed, twirling the sticks.

"A little more practice and we can start playing are own songs." Lightning stated, feeling good about their jam session.

Hope raised his eyebrow. "What are we going to do about vocals, though?"

The three glanced at each other. That was a good point. They needed someone to sing. But, who could?

Snow and Hope's eyes gazed in Lightning's direction. She instantly noticed the staring and shook her head. "No way. I'm not singing."

"But, you're the only one that can!" Snow said, his eyes pleading.

Lightning crossed her arms. "And why do you think that?"

"Me and Hope can't sing so you have to do it!"

The woman huffed. What made him think she could sing? She was pretty sure he never heard her sing before.

"I know you can because I was in your house with Serah one day and heard you singing in the shower."

Lightning's eyes widened before she glared at him. "You were in my house alone with my sister!?"

He waved his hands, laughing nervously realizing he shouldn't have said that. "Well, technically we weren't _alone. _You were there...Anyway, don't worry about that! The point is that I know you can sing so you have to do it."

Lightning let the comment about him being with Serah slide. She'll kick his ass later. There were greater things at hand. Since obviously no one else could take the position to sing, she had to do it.

"Fine, I'll sing." She finally gave in.

"Yes! Awesome!" Snow cheered.

"We'll work together to come up with songs. I'm not going to do all the work." Lightning said, crossing her arms.

Hope and Snow smiled. "Right!"

Lightning sent a glare Snow's way. "Don't think I'm going to forget that little comment you made about Serah."

Snow cringed slightly before smiling. "L-Let's just practice some more."

XXX

For the past week or so, the three practiced together until they were able to play in sync perfectly. After that, they began sitting down and creating their own songs. It was a long, tedious process. They had to think of notes that complement each other and good lyrics. It was a lot of trial and error. They tested out many variations of chords and beats. But, before long, they were able to complete a song that they named Revolve.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Lightning questioned as they got ready to practice their song for the first time.

Snow and Hope nodded, getting their instruments ready.

"1-2-3-4!" Snow shouted, smacking his drumsticks together.

The song started off with Lightning playing a riff, the notes with a distorted effect which set a somewhat dark tone. There was a pause. Suddenly, Snow began pounding on the drums, Hope smoothly played bass and Lightning continued playing a similar riff. Once they reached the verse, everyone stopped playing except Lightning, who played a few more notes before stepping up to the microphone. She began singing in Japanese, her raspy voice complimenting the darker tones of the song, as she played different chords. Snow and Hope starting playing slower as the tempo of the song slowed down. Lightning's voice rose from a lower tone to a much higher one as the song began to pick back up. Going into the interlude, she played chords with pauses in between, letting each chord ring out before switching to the next. She then switched to a similar riff from the beginning before heading into the chorus, where her impressive voice could be easily heard.

The three instruments sounded great together. Every note was in its place.

After playing another verse and chorus, the song neared the end. The three band members finished off strong, putting all they had into the last part of the song. They all played their final note, it ringing out before the studio grew silent.

The three looked at each other, impressed by how good they sounded.

Snow jumped to his feet. "Woo! That was awesome!"

A small smile appeared on Lightning's face. It felt great to be playing again. She was slowly recovering the part of her that she lost years ago. The part of her that she threw away, she thought, for good.

Lightning glanced over at the business card that sat on the small table in the corner of the room. Maybe it was time to give Sazh a call. They were ready.


	3. Chapter 3

Tonight was the night.

Tonight, The L'Cie has their first concert. Nothing major, of course. Just a small gig at a local bar but they had to start somewhere.

Backstage, Light, Hope and Snow got ready to perform. They were getting their equipment ready, making sure everything was perfect. The last thing they wanted was for something to go wrong during their first performance.

Hope poked his head out from behind the wall near the stage to see their audience. Like expected, most people weren't there to listen to their music. They were there to drink. People were surrounding the bar, no one really sitting at the small tables in front of the stage. Maybe once they started playing, they would get their attention.

"You guys ready?" Lightning questioned, fully decked in her disguise.

Snow and Hope nodded. "Let's go."

XXX

"Fang! Are you sure this is a good idea?" A woman wined with a somewhat childish tone.

The woman, known as Fang, looked back at her as they pushed themselves through the crowd at the bar. "Vanille, everything is gonna' be fine! No one can even recognize us in these costumes."

Vanille frowned, messing with the long brown wig that sat on her head, covering up her orange-pink pigtails. "This thing is so itchy!"

Fang rolled her eyes under her dark sunglasses. "Get over it. Just 'cause we're famous doesn't mean I can't come to my favorite bar and get a drink." She stated, repositioning her short red wig. "Now, just sit somewhere for a sec' while I go to the bar."

With that, Fang took off into the crowd, shoving people aside to get to the bar.

Vanille sighed. Great. Why would Fang drag her to a bar when she didn't even drink? Why did she have to go? Well, she mine as well find a seat somewhere. She had a feeling this was going to take a while. Vanille walked away from the bar and found a seat near the stage. There were less people on that side of the room.

Suddenly, the lights on stage flicked on, startling Vanille for a moment. Of course, everyone else in the bar was oblivious to it.

Vanille watched as a group of three stepped out from behind the stage and took their place under the lights. They were all dressed like some kind of rock band. None of them looked familiar to her so they must not be that popular.

The guy on drums was a pretty large man. He was almost double the size of the other ones. But, he had a very cheerful aura around him. The one on bass, she thought, had a cute face. The smile on his face was very genuine which made him seem like a nice person. He seemed a few years younger than the other two.

However, it was the last guy that seemed to interest Vanille the most. He stood in front, his appearance fitting the rock band image. It was sort of "bad-boyish." Leather jacket, spiked choker, ripped skinny jeans, combat boots, spiked hair. His face was what really stood out, especially his eyes. His eyes were a blue-greenish shade and were somewhat cold. His mouth was didn't display much emotion. It was very neutral. But, his face seemed a little smooth for a guy. She shrugged off the observation, not thinking about it too much.

Then he stepped toward the microphone.

"Hey." He spoke, his voice raspy but not as deep as she expected it to be. "My name is Kenji." He pointed to the man playing bass on his left. "This is Sora." Then to the man on drums. "And this is Ren. We are the L'Cie."

Vanille's eyebrow rose. L'Cie? That word brought back memories. When she and Fang were young, her great-grandparents used to tell them stories about the L'Cie, people who were chosen to complete a focus. Of course, it wasn't real but it was a cool story. But, she never knew other people were told the same story.

Kenji put his fingers on his guitar. "Hope you enjoy our song. It's called Revolve."

With that he stepped back slightly, before glancing at his bandmates. They all nodded to each other.

"1-2-3-4!" Ren shouted as he smacked his drum sticks together.

Vanille watched as Kenji played the beginning riff of the song. It actually sounded pretty good. The tone of the electric guitar was edgy and distorted. The chords blended great together.

Once the rest of the band began playing, she began to like the song even more. It had a great sound.

The people crowding the bar started focusing their attention toward the stage. Their music was interesting to them.

Kenji then stepped up to the microphone and began singing while also strumming the guitar.

Even more people in the audience grew interested in the music as Kenji sang.

Vanille's eyes were locked to Kenji. As the song transitioned into the chorus, she could see Kenji's face growing in emotion. His cold eyes lit up with excitement and a small smile formed on his face. She could tell, even though she knew nothing about him, that playing made him happy.

As she stared, Kenji's eyes found their way to her. Kenji gave her a slight nod before glancing elsewhere into the crowd.

Vanille blinked, blushing slightly. She didn't know why she blushed from such a simple gesture. There was just something about him that she liked. He seemed so…mysterious.

"Enjoyin' the show?" Fang appeared beside her, placing her arm around her.

Vanille snapped out of her gaze before giving her best friend a nod. "Yeah."

Fang pointed towards the stage. "They're pretty good, huh?" She smirked. "Maybe we'll have some competition soon."

"Maybe…" Vanille muttered, glancing back at the stage. Could this undiscovered band actually make it to the top to compete with them? Only time would tell.

The song ended and the audience gave the band a thunderous applause.

All the members of the band smiled before bowing their heads in appreciation.

"Thank you!" Kenji thanked over the microphone before they left the stage.

XXX

"That was great!" Snow exclaimed as they grouped up backstage.

Hope grinned, his eyes lit up with excitement. "I know! It was so awesome!"

Lightning smiled at them, feeling great about their performance. They played the song perfectly and the audience liked it. It reminded her of the times that her band performed. It was great.

Sazh came up to the trio, smiling. "That was impressive!"

"Thanks!" Snow thanked him while the others gave him a nod.

"Keep playing like that and you guys will get all types of gigs!"

But, Lightning seemed to have something else on her mind. That girl that was staring at her in the audience looked familiar but she couldn't figure out where she had seen her before. She shrugged it off. She had better things to do then think about some random girl. She'll probably never even see her again.

XXX

For the next few weeks, the L'Cie played tons of small gigs. Their name was spreading around, attracting all kinds of attention from the public and producers.

There was a popular concert in Shibuya called FujiRock. It is a concert where many of Japan's top bands and artists perform on one stage. Every year, one lucky, talented undiscovered band gets a chance to play as well. And the L'Cie were a possible candidate.

"As you know, the producers of FujiRock were very impressed by your demo." Mr. Yamahachi, a person from the record label that was hosting the concert, said as he stood in front of Lightning, Snow and Hope as they sat on a couch in his office.

"Of course, we have many other bands fighting for the spot in the concert. So, what makes you different from all the rest of them?" He questioned, glancing between the trio.

They had a cross-dressed guitarist. Pretty sure none of the other ones had that...But, obviously, they had to keep that one a secret.

Before Lightning could answer, Snow beat her to it. "I think we have a unique sound."

Lightning wanted to punch him for talking. If he says something stupid, it could set them back in the investigation. This opportunity was a chance to get to Takashi more quickly. The last thing she wanted to happen was Snow saying something that could ruin that chance.

"I can't think of a single band out there that has a similar sound to us. I think it's the vocals and the guitar that put us apart from them." He looked at Lightning, smirking slightly.

Lightning tried not to roll her eyes at him. Was he trying to make him focus on her more?

Mr. Yamahachi rubbed his chin, looking at Lightning a little more intensively. "Yeah, I think you're right. Can't say I've ever heard someone play and sing the way that you do. The voice is kind of different for a guy, you know?"

Lightning raised her eyebrow, feeling somewhat nervous. Damn! Should she deepen her voice a little? Maybe that would cause less suspicion. But, there's no way he could know she's in disguise, right?

"But, I like it!" Mr. Yamahachi exclaimed, causing Lightning to relax. "It's a refreshing! It's about time someone can actually sing."

"Ah, thanks." Lightning thanked. "So...does that mean we get the spot?"

Mr. Yamahachi looked as if he was thinking. Then he smiled. "Yes, it does. Congrats!"

Hope grinned and Snow practically jumped out of the chair. "Yes! Woo!"

"Ren!" Lightning sneered, causing Snow to quiet down a little. They needed to be professional.

Suddenly, the door of the office opened. Two women walked into the room and went straight over to Mr. Yamahachi, as if they didn't see the trio sitting there.

One of the women looked somewhat familiar to Lightning. She had orange hair, green eyes, and wasn't too tall. She looked like a teenager with the wild outfit she was wearing. She wore an orange miniskirt with a pink halter top which left her stomach exposed and furry yellow boots. Her outfit was decked out in various kinds of beads and bracelets.

Her face looked familiar to Lightning but the orange hair threw her off. Wait. This was the same girl from their first gig at the bar. Her hair was different but she was sure it was her. She only remembered her because she was staring at her. What a weirdo. But, more importantly, why was she here?

"Fang, Vanille! Can't you see I'm with some clients?" Mr. Yamahachi scolded.

The two of them glanced over at them.

The black-haired woman, Fang, rolled her eyes. "Them? Why are they important?"

Lightning frowned. She was already getting a bad vibe from her.

Fang had an odd accent in her voice but Lightning couldn't figure out what it was. She obviously wasn't from Japan. It sounded almost Australian.

Mr. Yamahachi glared at Fang. "They happen to be the band that will be playing with you at the concert next week."

Lightning raised her eyebrow. Playing with them? They must be a pretty famous band in Tokyo to be playing a major act at the concert. Oh! She remembered now. They were the band Ragnarock. She saw them on a magazine cover a few days ago. It was just the two of them in the band. Apparently, they were number one on Japan's Top 100. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea of befriend them. They might have some connections that might be useful to them.

Fang's eyes narrowed. "Oh really?" She stood in front of Lightning, looking in her eyes. She chuckled before crossing her arms. "They don't seem like anything special to me."

Scratch the befriending idea. Lightning officially didn't like her _at all_.

Snow and Hope glanced at Lightning, to see what she would do. They knew for a fact that she didn't like being talked down to.

Being as hotheaded as she was, it took everything in Lightning's power not to punch her. She had to be professional.

Vanille nudged Fang away. "Stop being so mean, Fang!" The girl looked at the three of them. "Sorry, she can be a bit much sometimes."

She also had the same accent as Fang. They must have been from the same place.

Lighnting crossed her arms, glaring at Fang. "Right."

Vanille's eyes found their way to Lightning and they widened.

_Great. Now, she's staring at me again._ Lightning thought. She must have recognized her as well. "Ah…Is something wrong?" She questioned, hoping that would stop the staring.

Vanille blinked before waving her hands and laughing. "Oh! Sorry! It's nothing!" She held her hand out. "My name's Vanille. You're Kenji, right?"

Lightning narrowed her eyes slightly. She remembered her name. She only remembered seeing the girl once. Either she had a good memory or was a bit weird.

She shook Vanille's hand and replied, "Yeah, nice to meet you, Vanille."

For some reason, Vanille's cheeks turned slightly pink.

Vanille realized she was still holding his hand and instantly let go. "Sorry!" She shook the rest of the band's hands before stepping back next to Fang.

Lightning thought the whole situation was strange. Did she just blush? What was going on? She didn't do anything so why was Vanille acting so odd? All she did was greet herself. It was almost like she had a crush on her or something, which was totally irrational. She just shrugged, not wanting to put too much thought into it.

"Alright, Mr. Yamahachi. We have to get going." Lightning announced as she stood up, feeling it was time for them to leave. "Thanks for allowing us to perform at the concert."

Mr. Yamahachi waved his hand. "No problem! You guys deserved it!"

"Yeah, thanks man." Snow thanked as he and Hope followed her lead out the door.

Lightning glanced back at Fang and Vanille before they headed out the office.

Fang turned to Vanille, smirking slightly. "Ha. Can you believe those guys, Vanille? That one in the middle looked like he wanted to fight or somethin'!" She laughed. "He wouldn't last a chance. I mean, he's so scrawny lookin'! I'm taller than his sorry-ass!"

Vanille frowned. "Stop it, Fang! They didn't seem that bad! If you weren't being so mean, he might've been nice."

"Whatever! I was just testin' them. I guess the middle guy a bit of an attitude."

Mr. Yamahachi crossed his arms before looking at the two. "So, what was so important that you two had to interrupt my meeting for?"

Fang shrugged and smirked. "We just came here to bother ya'!"

Mr. Yamahachi shook his head. "Get out."


End file.
